The Spoon Theory for Professionals: Why Your Energy Isn’t Limitless (And How to Work With It)
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It’s Monday morning, 8:47 AM.
I start the day with full health points, but getting dressed has already chipped away at my bar. Does this shirt match? Health drops a bit. Will people judge my wrinkled sleeve? Another hit. Do I have time to fix my hair? My health bar keeps shrinking.
My phone buzzes. Text: ‘Coffee before we meet?’
I check my remaining health. Social interactions are like mini-battles. Noisy places deal extra damage. I need to save health for the boss fight later. It’s not even 9 AM and I’m already playing on hard mode.
Sound familiar? You’re not overthinking. You’re just aware of your health bar when others aren’t.
What’s This Spoon Thing About?
In 2003, Christine Miserandino had lupus. She wanted to explain to her friend what living with chronic illness felt like. So she grabbed spoons from a restaurant table.
“You start the day with twelve spoons,” she said. Everything costs spoons. Getting dressed costs one spoon. Making breakfast costs one spoon. You might have three spoons by lunch. You must choose carefully.
Here’s the thing: research shows neurodivergent brains work similarly. We don’t have chronic illness, but we do have different energy needs.
Why? Our brains are doing extra work.
Things neurotypical people do automatically take active energy for us:
- Filtering out background noise
- Reading facial expressions
- Switching between tasks
- Managing sensory input
- Following unwritten social rules
We’re running extra programmes in the background. That drains our battery faster.
The Research Backs This Up: Studies show that neurodivergent adults often have higher stress hormone levels during routine daily activities compared to neurotypical people. What feels like a normal day for others can be genuinely more demanding for us.
Meet Your Different Types of Energy
Not all energy is the same. Think of it like having different bank accounts:
Body Energy: Moving around. Dealing with lights, sounds, textures. Managing physical stuff.
Brain Energy: Thinking through problems. Making decisions. Learning new things.
Feelings Energy: Managing emotions. Dealing with stress. Processing how you feel about things.
Peoples Energy: Talking to colleagues. Reading social cues. Navigating office politics.
Masking Energy: Acting “normal” in professional settings. Hiding your neurodivergent traits. This one’s exhausting.
That colleague who chats all day, attends five meetings, then goes for drinks? They’re not superhuman. They just have different energy costs.
Your Morning Energy Check
Instead of hoping you’ll have enough energy for everything, try this:
Rate your energy levels (1-10):
- How did I sleep?
- Any big worries today?
- Am I feeling overwhelmed?
- What’s my body telling me?
Ask yourself:
- What absolutely must happen today?
- Where can I be strategic?
- What can I delegate or delay?
- When do I usually crash?
This isn’t giving up. It’s being realistic about your resources.
Rethinking Workplace Energy
Traditional advice says: “Push through! Mind over matter! Everyone gets tired!”
But what if we treated energy like money? You wouldn’t spend 120% of your budget. So why try to use 120% of your energy?
Smart Energy Strategies
Price Your Tasks
- Quick email = 1 brain point
- Difficult conversation = 3 brain points + 2 people’s points
- Team presentation = 4 brain points + 3 people’s points + 2 body points
Match Tasks to Your Energy
- High energy time = challenging work
- Medium energy time = routine tasks
- Low energy time = admin or planning
Plan Recovery Time
- 5 minutes quiet between meetings
- Lunch somewhere calm
- Buffer time for unexpected things
Practice Boundary Phrases
- “I don’t have capacity today, but Wednesday works”
- “Could we do a phone call instead of video?”
- “I work better with the agenda sent beforehand”
You’re Not Being Difficult
When you manage your energy strategically, you’re being professional.
When you ask for written agendas? You are boosting performance. When you suggest phone calls over video? You’re managing resources. When you need quiet time between meetings? You’re preventing burnout.
Your brain works differently. That’s not a bug – it’s why you’re valuable.
Your Energy Toolkit
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels
Daily Check-In: Rate your energy each morning. Plan accordingly.
Energy Map: Notice your patterns. When are you sharpest? When do you crash?
Recharge Menu: List what actually helps you recover energy (not just distract from tiredness).
Boundary Practice: Start small. “I need to finish this before I can chat” is perfectly fine.
The Truth About Professional Energy
Your energy patterns aren’t broken. The brain that gets overwhelmed by open offices might spot details others miss. The mind that needs breaks between meetings might process information more deeply.
Understanding your energy unlocks your potential. You’re not limiting yourself – you’re working with your operating system.
Next time you calculate whether you have enough spoons for that extra meeting, remember: you’re not being precious. You’re being strategic about showing up as your best self.
That’s not a weakness. That’s wisdom.
What’s Next?
Understanding your energy patterns is the first step. If you’re struggling with workplace energy management, you’re not alone.
Need Support?
- Take our spiky profile quiz to understand your strengths and challenges
- Book a workplace needs assessment to discuss workplace strategies
- Join our online neurodiversity workshops for practical tools and peer support
Share Your Experience What energy patterns have you noticed in your work life? What helps you recharge? Your experience could help another neurodivergent professional reading this.
References
- Miserandino, C. (2003). The Spoon Theory
- Research on executive function in neurodivergent adults
- Workplace energy management studies
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